Build a Farnsworth Fusor - Kevin's Guide

[Kevin_Axion]

I know it isn't recommended to engineer such a device since it could be dangerous because of the amps involved but can anybody provide any materials and plans in designing such a fusor?

Thanks, Kevin

 

[kgbgru]

I'd be more worried about the neutron radiation, but then again electrocution is no fun either. I would start looking at wikipedia, it generally has enough links and sources to find something good. If you feel ambitious enough you should a polywell. For some reason my mother still refers to it as a polywog.
Best wished, I hope you find what you need. As a fan of IEC I hope you succeed.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

Farnsworth Fusors don't emit neutron radiation, supposedly. What easier to make and safer, Polywells or Farnsworth Fusors?

 

[Astronuc]

Farnsworth Fusors don't emit neutron radiation, supposedly. What easier to make and safer, Polywells or Farnsworth Fusors?

Neutrons are emitted from the fusion reaction (d,t) => 14.1 MeV neutrons, or 50% of (d,d) fusions => few MeV neutrons. If there is no fusion, then it's pretty pointless to build a fusor.

There are aneutronic reactions of which the easist is the other 50% of d+d which produces p+He3, or He3+d, which produces He4 + p. But with d in the mix, there is invariably (d,d) reactions producing neutrons. If one accelerate He3 into d, and keep d's below are reasonable energy threshold, then this mitigates neutron formation. However He3 is quite rare on earth, and is quite expensive.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

What if you just use air?

 

[Astronuc]

What if you just use air?

Well - one would ionize air and produce heat, infrared radiation, visible light, UV and possibly low energy X-rays depending on the potential. One will not however obtain fusion reactions.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

Thanks, thought it would be an interesting project but now it just seems pointless (I can't afford Helium-3 although if I lived on the Moon I'd think otherwise and Tritium is like $30,000 for 10 grams) and unsafe, I wasn't sure if their would be neutron radiation. But Astronuc you're right if it were fusion then there would be neutron emissions and magnetic fields can't contain them, although if I had a block of lead it might scatter them back inside.
Anyways, Thanks, Kevin